This diagram shows the DE in a standard 3-4 alignment. One prospect may be selected over another based on the following factors:

A. Prevailing defensive philosophy: In a "read and react" 3-4, the defensive line controls the offensive line to allow the LBs to flow to the ball. In "attack and penetrate", the defensive line takes more of a 1-gap approach and the LBs have more gap responsibilities.

B. Opponent's offensive philosophy: In facing off tackle plays or sweeps, the Defensive Ends have responsibility with support from the outside linebackers. Responsibilities in the passing game are 1) collapsing the pocket, 2) providing an interior pass rush and 3) increasing length (hands and arms up) to limit the opposing QB's vision of passing lanes.

In a 3-4, this is a tough position to fill. You usually want somebody who is tall, hovering somewhere near 300 lbs, strong as a bull but can still move better than most defensive tackles, the longer his arms the better.

BYU DE Ezekiel Ansah did not train for February's Scouting Combine, instead focusing on finishing classes at Brigham Young.

Almost every Combine invitee hires a trainer to prepare. Ansah didn't, and he still tore it up. Measuring in at 6'5" and 271 lbs with 35 1/8 inch arms, Ansah posted the sixth fastest forty time (4.63) of 37 defensive linemen who ran, and his 34 1/2 inch vertical tied for seventh. Only Barkevious Mingo had a faster ten yard split (1.56). Ansah's agent claims his forty-yard dash at the Combine was the first he's ever run in his life. We expect Ansah to be drafted in the single digits.

And yes I realize that we have Hali and Houston. But Hali is getting up there in age. You could rotate Ansah in while getting him used to the speed of the NFL and in a year or two....he'd replace Hali.

It sounds like everybody wants 3-4 DEs these days to create havoc in the backfield and make big plays. The 1-gap helps that, but I don't know if there are really any players in this draft who can make that kind of difference. Sheldon Richardson seems to have the most potential, but I'm not rolling the dice on any more defensive linemen with bad attitudes.

I still don't see how you aren't impressed by Floyd.

Kid's 20 and he made first team all SEC. He's strong as an ox, his athleticism jumped off the page during the combine and he's a hell of a worker. I love the guy.

If you can get a true difference maker for this 1-gap, you've salvaged the pick; it's the biggest difference we can make at this pick apart from QB.

And yes I realize that we have Hali and Houston. But Hali is getting up there in age. You could rotate Ansah in while getting him used to the speed of the NFL and in a year or two....he'd replace Hali.

Totally agree. I'm very comfortable with that.

I don't think a single GM in the league is, however.

Considering Dorsey's history, he's almost certainly going with the trenches, either LT or DE.

Both Dorsey and Jackson have proven that even if blue chip draft selections don't pan out, they can still be key players for your team if they are the kind of guys who work their ass off. (This could easily be true of Poe as well.)

That's the difference between them and Ryan Sims, who's total lack of work ethic gave him nothing to fall back on when he failed to hit his ceiling.

Both Dorsey and Jackson have proven that even if blue chip draft selections don't pan out, they can still be key players for your team if they are the kind of guys who work their ass off. (This could easily be true of Poe as well.)

That's the difference between them and Ryan Sims, who's total lack of work ethic gave him nothing to fall back on when he failed to hit his ceiling.

How did either of them prove that? Jackson's hardly been a guy that works his ass off and Dorsey's never been a key player on even an average football team.

Ziggy, for the most part, is maxed. He can get stronger, but this is his bodytype. Getting more fit will probably only lower his weight, but not by much. His body is NFL ready.

He's going to be fine as a 4-3 DE where he only has to worry about attacking tackles from the edge.

Attacking multiple lineman from the inside, however, is out of his weight class. And as Pest said earlier, a total waste of his talents. You want this guy in space on the edge, not in the slop.

Ansah was physically manhandling linemen at the Senior Bowl; he was literally just throwing them aside. And no, he is not maxed--not even close. What you are looking at is a body in progress: it is a body that had been used for hoops and track. Only recently has he even begun to focus his body on football. One of the reasons why he only has a couple years of football experience is because he felt his body was a "delicate flower" (yes, his words). With his explosiveness and strength--and our move to an attacking defense, I think he would make a great, though unorthodox, 5 tech.